Published 10:52 pm, Monday, July 31, 2017

ALTON — The Alton Fire Department began inspecting businesses holding city liquor licenses for the first time this spring in a state pilot program, completing a year’s worth of visits within three months.

“We inspected all 93 businesses from April 1 through June 30,” said AFD Chief Bernie Sebold. “We are going to continue the program, but now we have a full calendar year” to complete the liquor-gaming inspections.

“We looked at the draft beer tap heads, not only for cleanliness but also so they are carrying the beer” as labeled, Sebold said. “We checked any open bottled liquor looking for contamination. With stoppers, you can have pieces of plastic from the stoppers, and you could have fruit flies coming through” spouts on bottle stoppers.

What did they find?

“We found dirty tap heads for draft beer, we used a (cotton) swab inside the tap head to see if it was clean,” Sebold said. “The establishment’s owner is required to clean the tap heads on a regular basis. They were cleaning them, but they need to change their process or how well they clean them. Not very often, we found a contaminated liquor bottle, a fruit fly or two had gotten into a bottle,” with the insects particularly drawn to fruit-based liquids.

Aldermen gave the OK in March for the department to participate in the Illinois Department of Revenue’s alcoholic liquor enforcement pilot program. Sebold and Deputy Chief Mark Harris underwent training before they could start the field inspections. The department was required to finish the inspections by June 30, end of the state’s fiscal year.

“It was a very compact time frame, we were not able to get trained until March,” Sebold said.

AFD receives $75 from the state per each field inspection it conducts.

Harris did most of the inspections, wearing a red lanyard and identification. He used a bright, LED light to inspect contents of the bottles. “It was interesting,” he said of the visits. Inspections at businesses with more than one bar were especially time-consuming.

Alcohol, its containers and dispensers were not the only subjects of the inspections. “We looked at the gaming machines to make sure they were properly licensed, with a sticker from the state of Illinois, and we spot check liquor purchase receipts from the past 90 days, which is required by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission.” The Illinois Department of Revenue oversees the ILCC.

Harris or Sebold fills out a checklist on a form at each business and forwards it to the ILCC. Sebold said he does not know which businesses, if any, face penalties from the state as a result of the inspections.

“What the state does is between them and the establishment,” he said. “There is no follow up report from the Liquor Commission. We are just a third party inspection agency. They (ILCC) are the enforcement component of it.” He said if the state does fine a business for any violations, the establishment can appeal.

For efficiency and so as not to disrupt a business twice, Capt. Rick Orban conducts the annual public safety building inspection at the same time as the liquor-related inspection.

Among the numerous other violations for which firefighters check are: impermissible exterior signs; state and liquor licenses and pregnancy warning signs are not displayed; cleaning records are not kept as required; no schedule of drink prices; sanitation issues related to cleaning; not destroying old pre-mixed drinks and illegally “marrying” liquors; brands and taps not agreeing; unlabeled taps; cigarette packs without revenue stamps; unlawful sale of individual cigarettes; and giving away alcoholic drinks.